


Happiness

by saturninepen



Category: Greek and Roman Mythology
Genre: Gen, Hera disagrees, Hestia doesn't belong in this family, Poseidon is the awkward third wheel, Rhea is best mother, Zeus thinks he's a dawg, every boy needs a puppy, first gen, nobody messes with Hades without Cerberus' permission
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-25
Updated: 2012-08-25
Packaged: 2017-11-12 20:04:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/495149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saturninepen/pseuds/saturninepen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hades wasn't always Lord of the Underworld, and Cerberus wasn't always a monster.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happiness

**Author's Note:**

  * For [daasvedanya](https://archiveofourown.org/users/daasvedanya/gifts).



> _Happiness is a warm puppy._ \-- Charles M. Schulz

“Hades, hold _still_.”

“I’m _tryi--_ ow!”

The boy broke off with a yelp as Rhea’s comb caught on a particularly thick clump of hair and tugged painfully at his scalp. Globs of honey still dripped slowly from his hair and the tines of the comb, running down his neck and congealing on the towel Rhea had wrapped around his shoulders.

“There’s no use for it, Mother,” Demeter said, trying and failing to hide her snickering. “You’ll just have to cut it off.”

“Nonsense.” Rhea tugged the comb free and tried again, earning a second yelp. “It’s just honey. Now sit properly, dear; it’s a couch, not a bed.”

Demeter scowled and sat upright, smoothing out her skirt. Hestia stood nearby, biting her lip every time Hades flinched and glowered at his sister, looking like she wanted to help somehow without knowing how, while their mother continued to comb through the goo.

“How do you even get that much honey in your hair, anyway?” Demeter continued, ignoring Rhea’s warning look. “I mean honestly, even for _you_ , that’s—”

“Shut up, Demeter!” Hades snapped, doing his best to glare while Rhea continued to jerk the comb through his hair.

“Don’t tell me to shut up, you little—”

“Demeter,” Rhea cut her off firmly. The young goddess shot a look of pure venom at her brother. Hestia glanced between the two nervously, wringing her hands. “I’m sure what your brother _meant_ was to suggest you go find Hera and the boys, dear; she must have found them by now.”

Hades continued to scowl as Demeter huffed and left the room. Rhea gave one last tug with the comb and set it aside before wiping at the back of her son’s neck with the towel.

“Would you mind terribly helping your sister find the others, Hestia dear? I’d like to speak to them in a moment.”

“Of course!”

Rhea smiled slightly as Hestia made to leave, before turning back as if she’d forgotten something. She skipped back to Hades, threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek before turning and chasing after their sister, skirt flying out behind her. Hades rubbed the spot sullenly, but his eyes softened and his shoulders relaxed slightly.

“Do you want to tell me what happened?” Rhea asked softly once both girls had gone.

“No.” He tensed again, arms crossing over his chest. “Can I go now too?”

“In a moment.”

She took the cloth from around his shoulders and folded it neatly, placing it beside the comb. Hades sunk deeper into his seat and kicked at the floor grumpily; Rhea opened her mouth to warn against the residue of honey still coating his hair touching the back of the chair, and stopped herself, hesitating.

“They’re just boys, Hades,” she said finally.

“So’m I, Mother,” he looked at her from the corner of his eye, exasperated. “Doesn’t mean I’m dumping honey in _their_ hair.”

Rhea sighed, and knelt in front of him, resting a hand gently on his cheek. “Hades…”

“ _No_ , Mother,” he cut her off, fists clenching in his lap. “I’m _sick_ of it. I don’t even _do_ anything to them, but stupid _Zeus_ just does whatever he wants and no one cares, and I’m just stupid little Hades, who can’t do _anything_ —”

“Hades,” she stopped him, tilting his chin up gently. “You may not be like your brothers, but that hardly means there’s nothing you can’t do.”

“Like _what_? The only person who even _likes_ me is Hes!”

Rhea paused for a moment before standing and reaching for his hand. Hades took hers hesitantly, watching her in a mix of wariness and curiosity as he slowly rose to stand with her.

“Come with me. There’s something I want to show you.”

\--

When Hestia came to check on her brother later, she almost didn’t recognize him from the sullen, honey-covered boy she’d left earlier. He had washed the last of the residue from his hair and changed into clean robes, but the real transformation was the _laughter_.

A small black and tan puppy squirmed in his lap, tail wagging so violently its entire body shook. Hades had his arms wrapped around it in a futile effort to keep it still while three noses nuzzled and licked at his neck and face, each one competing to give more love than the others. The boy sat propped against the wall, laughing and squirming nearly as much as the puppy as he tried to scratch its ears and hold it down at the same time.

“Who’s this?” Hestia asked, smiling at the scene.

“Hes!” he grinned at her from behind a pair of the puppy’s heads.

One of the heads turned to look at her, panting happily as she knelt next to them. She smiled and scratched its ears, giggling when it turned its head to lick at her hand. The other two heads looked at her curiously for a moment before turning their attention back to cleaning Hades’ face.

“He’s such a sweetie.” She leaned down to kiss the puppy’s nose, giggling again when he returned the favor. “What will you call him?”

“I’m not sure yet. Mother only just gave him to me.”

The puppy was still nuzzling under Hades’ chin and licking at Hestia’s hand, but as they talked, the middle head yawned widely and sighed quietly. Hades stroked a hand gently down his back as he gave one last nuzzle and then curled up against the boy’s chest, all three heads pressed close together as they closed their eyes and sighed in unison.

“What are you supposed to name dogs, anyway?” Hades asked, cradling the sleepy puppy in his arms. 

Hestia shifted so she was sitting next to her brother, her legs tucked neatly beneath her. She reached out to stroke the puppy’s ears gently and leaned to the side to rest her head on Hades’ shoulder. 

“Mother didn’t give you any ideas?”

He shook his head. “She said if he’s going to be mine, then I should name him. But I can’t think of anything that fits.”

“What about… hmm,” her forehead wrinkled in concentration as she thought. “Otis?”

The puppy’s ears twitched slightly in its sleep, but Hades only gave her a look from the corner of his eye. Her nose crinkled and she made a small sound of disapproval in the back of her throat.

“No, maybe not.” She sat upright again and shook her head. “Rufus?”

Hades pulled a face and Hestia crinkled her nose again. The boy looked down at the puppy and sighed, his grimace smoothing into a look of concentration.

“What about… Cerberus?”

The puppy snuffled quietly and shifted against Hades’ chest. Hestia cocked her head slightly and looked at her brother curiously.

“Cerberus? That’s an odd name.”

“I remember reading it somewhere,” Hades shrugged. “But what do you think?”

“Cerberus,” she repeated slowly, testing the name. “Does it mean anything?”

He shrugged again. “I don’t remember. But look, see, I think he likes it.”

The puppy twitched in his sleep again, nuzzling against Hades’ chest and kicking his paws. Hestia smiled and stroked his ears softly until he stilled again with a sigh.

“Well then, I guess that settles it,” she said. “Cerberus it is.”

\--

It was almost dusk when Hera found Hades sitting under the tree in the garden, curled up with yet another scroll he’d taken from the library. 

“What are you doing out here?” she asked as she approached. 

He looked up at the sound of her voice and lowered the scroll, scowling slightly at the question.

“Avoiding Zeus and Poseidon,” he grumbled.

“Well, _that’s_ not very nice, baby brother.” Hades stifled a groan as the brothers in question strolled up the path behind Hera. Zeus turned to smile broadly at their sister as they drew closer. “’Sup, Honey—“

Hera’s glare cut him off before he could finish, but he only smiled wider and slung an arm around her shoulders; she promptly shrugged it away. 

“Are you always this arrogant?” Hades asked drily. “Or are you just being especially annoying today for our benefit?”

“Are you always this boring?” Zeus retorted. “Honestly, all you do is sit around and _read_ all day.”

“Leave it alone, both of you,” Hera cut them off. “Mother wants us. She says supper’s ready.”

“Yeah, yeah, in a minute. First I want to see what Brain Boy thinks is so great about this stuff. What _is_ this, anyway?” Zeus snatched the scroll from Hades’ grip and rolled it open, scanning the text with a look of mingled disgust and horror on his face. “How do you read this stuff? Where are the _pictures_?”

“Give it back!” 

Hades scrambled to his feet and grabbed for the scroll, but Zeus pulled it back out of his reach, letting it roll shut again. Poseidon smirked and leaned against the tree, picking an apple and biting into it while Hera crossed her arms.

“Just give it back to him and let’s go,” she said impatiently. “You’re not impressing anyone.”

Hades made another grab for the scroll, but Zeus only shoved him away and he staggered back, falling into the dirt. Poseidon snickered and took another bite of his apple, while his brother tossed the scroll disinterestedly over his shoulder. 

A low growl interrupted them as Hades started to pick himself up. A small, dark shape stepped away from the shadow of the tree where it had been resting. Poseidon took a startled step back before he realized what it was, but the three-headed puppy ignored him, focusing instead on Zeus.

“What’s this?” Zeus bent down and grabbed Cerberus by the scruff, lifting him up to eye level and laughing at his bared puppy teeth.

“Leave him alone!” Hades shouted, pushing himself upright.

“I have to ask, baby brother,” Zeus continued as if he hadn’t heard. “Does it have three heads because it makes you feel like you actually have more friends, or is it just-- _fuck,_ it _bit_ me!”

Cerberus growled loudly and snapped again at Zeus’ hand. The young god dropped him unceremoniously to the ground and the growl was abruptly cut off by a surprised yelp. Zeus glared down at the stunned puppy, nursing his bleeding hand.

“I’ll show you, you stupid little—“

“Zeus, no!”

Leg poised to kick Cerberus away despite Hera’s warning, he was already off balance when Hades slammed into him, and the two tumbled to the ground in a writhing, cursing heap. Cerberus growled and barked while they fought, while Hera tried to raise her own voice over the noise, yelling at them to calm down and stop acting like _idiots_.

A final flip had Zeus pinning his struggling brother to the ground, pressing his arm down heavily across his chest. Ichor ran slowly down his face from a cut above his eyebrow and between his fingers from the bite mark on his hand. Hades glared furiously and pushed against him, but Zeus only grabbed the front of his chiton and pushed him roughly back into the ground, clenching his free hand into a fist. 

“What the _fuck_?” he snapped, and drew back his arm, ignoring the protests of their siblings.

“Zeus, just _leave_ it!” Poseidon shouted, raising his voice next to Hera’s. 

A low growl cut over them and Zeus froze. Cerberus stood stiff-legged, hackles raised and teeth bared in a warning snarl. Zeus glared between him and Hades and finally swore, shoving his brother into the dirt one last time before picking himself up. 

“Fine then, you little freak,” he spat. “Have fun with your little freaky pet. That’s the only friend you’re ever going to have.”

“Don’t you _ever_ touch him again,” Hades shot back, pushing himself up on his elbows. Cerberus stood next to him, one head licking at his face gently and cleaning away the dust and ichor while the other two glared after Zeus’ retreating figure. Poseidon shot Hades a look of consternation before following his brother, reaching out a hand only to have it slapped away. 

Hera watched them go while Hades picked himself up and snatched the scroll off the ground where Zeus had thrown it. 

“Hades…” she started to say, turning back to him.

“Tell Mother I’m not hungry,” he cut her off abruptly. “I’ll be up later.”

He didn’t give her a chance to reply before he turned and walked away, Cerberus on his heels, and the scroll still clenched tightly in his fist.

\--

It was nearly midnight before he walked back, but Rhea said nothing, only looked at him sadly before nodding silently towards his room. The others were already asleep when he slipped inside, snoring from their beds as he changed and slid under his own blankets. Cerberus jumped up as soon as Hades was lying down, sprawling comfortably across his chest and nuzzling his face. The boy scratched his ears absently, listening to the steady breathing of his brothers, and sighed quietly.

“We don’t need them,” he murmured, scowling. “They don’t get it anyway.”

Cerberus pricked his ears and cocked his heads to the side as Hades continued.

“You get it, though. You’re different, too, just like me. We just have to stick together, that’s all. You’ll stay with me, right?”

The puppy wagged his tail happily and licked Hades’ cheek, and despite the cuts and bruises from that afternoon, Hades smiled.

“Yeah,” he murmured, giving Cerberus one last scratch behind the ears. “That’s what I thought.”


End file.
